Best Basic Cake Doughnuts Recipes

OLD-TIME CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition., Combine the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. , Turn onto a heavily floured surface; pat dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. doughnut cutter. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°., Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. , Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; roll warm doughnuts in mixture. Freeze option: Wrap doughnuts in foil and transfer to a resealable freezer container. May be frozen for up to 3 months. To use, remove foil. Thaw at room temperature. Warm if desired. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon; roll warm doughnuts in mixture.

CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In deep fryer or 3-quart saucepan, heat 3 to 4 inches oil to 375°F.
• In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the remaining ingredients except Rainbow Doughnut Icing with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour.
• On generously floured surface, roll dough lightly to coat. Gently roll to 3/8-inch thickness. Cut dough with floured 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter.
• Fry doughnuts in oil, 2 to 3 at a time, turning as they rise to the surface. Fry 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Cool slightly and frost with doughnut icing.

CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a deep heavy skillet or deep-fryer to 370 degrees F (185 degrees C). On a floured board, roll chilled dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Use a 3 inch round cutter to cut out doughnuts. Use a smaller cutter to cut holes from center. If you do not have a small cutter, use the mouth of a bottle.
• Fry doughnuts in hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Remove from oil to drain on paper plates. Combine the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar in a large resealable bag. Place a few warm donuts into the bag at a time, seal and shake to coat.

BAKED CAKE DONUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly brush two standard donut pans with butter. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium; add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with milk, and beat just until combined.
• Transfer batter to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag, and snip a 1/2-inch hole in one corner of bag. Divide mixture evenly between prepared pans. Bang pans several times on counter to release air bubbles.
• Bake until tops of donuts spring back when lightly pressed, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. To decorate, see Variations below.

CLASSIC CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Melt the shortening in a small saucepan over medium heat. Set aside to cool slightly but still liquid.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and shortening together on medium speed, until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk and vanilla, and continue beating until the mixture is light, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, mace, and salt into a medium bowl.
• Reduce the mixer's speed to low, add the flour mixture until just combined. (The texture of the dough will be soft and loose.) Transfer the dough to a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap it well. (Make sure you scrap off all the dough clinging to the paddle.) Refrigerate the dough for 4 hours or overnight.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the chilled dough out into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Dip the edges of a 2 1/2-inch-round doughnut cutter in flour and cut the dough into doughnuts. Place the doughnuts and holes on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
• Put enough vegetable shortening into a tall, heavy-bottomed pot to fill it about a third of the way up. Heat the shortening over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• Working in batches, fry the doughnuts and holes, turning once, until they are golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to the paper towels to drain and cool. Repeat until all the doughnuts and holes are fried. (Make sure the shortening returns to 375 degrees F. between batches.)
• For sugared doughnuts, roll the doughnuts in sugar or cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. To cover the doughnuts with confectioners' sugar, allow them to cool completely before rolling in the sugar.

EASY BAKED CHOCOLATE GLAZED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Lightly spray 2 doughnut pans with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, mix cake mix, Bisquick mix, sugar and salt. Stir in milk and eggs. Mix until well combined. Fill each doughnut cup three-fourths full.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until doughnuts spring back when touched. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir frosting and water with spoon until smooth. Dip one side of each doughnut into glaze.